California governor lifts drought emergency

That allowed Brown to lift most stipulations of an emergency order he implemented in January 2014, about two years after the conditions crossed the line into drought.

"Our customers around the state took the drought seriously and reduced their water use by 26 percent", said Richard Svindland, President of California American Water.

"We are glad to see the governor's action today to lift the drought emergency declaration for most of the state".

Some restricted activities, like blatantly wasteful irrigation (runoff), watering during and 48 hours after rain and washing down sidewalks and hardscapes will be permanently prohibited by the State and by DWA pursuant to the agency's conservation ordinance, district officials said in a release. Water-reporting requirements remained in place, according to the statement, as did prohibitions on wasteful practices such as watering during rainfall.

As California's population grows, the most efficient way to stretch and ensure water is to conserve, Kostyrko said.

The drought cost the agricultural economy billions, killed an estimated 100 million trees, led a half-million acres of farmland to be fallowed and deprived some communities of reliable sources of drinking water.

Gov. Jerry Brown declared an end to California's historic drought Friday, lifting emergency orders that had forced residents to stop running sprinklers as often and encouraged them to rip out thirsty lawns during the state's driest four-year period on record.

Jerry Brown declared an end to the state's drought emergency on Friday after powerful storms quenched the state following four extraordinarily dry years that drained reservoirs and wells, devastated forests and farmland and forced millions of people to slash their water use.

In the counties of Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Tuolumne, emergency drinking water programs will stay in place.

Desert Water Agency General Manager Mark Krause said, "We're very proud of the efforts made during the statewide drought".

For five years, the state endured significantly less rain than normal, cutting into the water supply and forcing the state to impose strict limits on water use. California officials will also continue working to contain an outbreak of bark beetles that are killing trees throughout the state. The reversal was swift: As of this week, just 1 percent of the state is still in severe drought, compared to 74 percent of the state one year ago.

RECCOMENDED STORIES

Taylor Swift reportedly working on a new album
Where in the world is Taylor Swift? But her pal Ed Sheeran did tell BBC News that Swift is at work on new music, so there is that. The source finished off by adding fans can look out for the album at the end of this year, which really isn't even that far off.

Cable giant Comcast offers cellular plans on Verizon network
Comcast's main goal is to give its current customers the ultimate bundle deal, covering all of their TV, internet and phone needs. After all, Comcast had effectively said before this service is meant to help retain and boost its cable subscriptions.

Lawyer says Trump administration moved to squelch testimony
Spicer said that Yates had asked the Justice Department for permission to testify publicly and that it had been granted. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), has said that action alone sufficiently crossed the line where Nunes must recuse himself .

United Kingdom government cuts stake in Lloyds Bank to below 2%
Deutsche Bank AG reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Lloyds Banking Group PLC in a research note on Thursday, December 1st. Lloyds Banking Group plc (LYG ) belongs to the Financial sector with an industry focus on Foreign Money Center Banks, with Mr.

NASA to End Cassini's Run With Plunge Into Saturn
Astronomers do not want Cassini to someday crash into one of the Saturn's moons that could have conditions for alien life. Mission team members are taking pains to minimize the dangers associated with this privileged view.

YouTube's streaming TV service is finally live
Google is also throwing in access to original programming that was previously tied to the YouTube Red subscription service. YouTube TV is still missing channels from several major networks, such as Turner, Discovery, and Viacom.

Congress Weighs in on Internet Privacy Law
The privacy protections were approved in the final days of the Obama administration by the Federal Communications Commission. However, House Democrats accused Republicans of essentially throwing USA consumers' privacy rights under the bus.

Facebook Is Going After Revenge Porn
If someone re-shares a previously reported and removed image, it will be taken down and the user will be notified. Facebook is hoping to cut down on the occurrences of revenge porn that appear on its platforms.

Microsoft Digital Bookstore is opening on April 11th
Microsoft purchased Beam to integrate its own streaming service into the Xbox One and Windows 10 and it is now ready for everyone. If you're enrolled in the Insider program, the necessary ISO files are available via Microsoft's Software Download website .

Community Alert: NJ Transit Delays
Remaining LIRR trains from Penn Station are expected to experience delays and crowding. This is the second train derailment at Penn Station in less than two weeks.

Prices Tumble on API Build; EIA Report Next
Saudi Arabia trailed behind in these two months, with its daily output averaging 9.95 million barrels in January, the data showed. Last week speculators cut more than 150,000 contracts betting on firmer USA and Brent oil prices, a record high.

Dixie Carter congratulates The Hardy Boyz
Multiple sources are reporting that the Hardys will be hitting WWE very soon, perhaps as soon as the next three nights. After months of speculation, The Hardy Boyz finally returned to WWE at WrestleMania 33 in the most emphatic of ways.